Just Let Me Try
by Bikutoria
Summary: [Complete] Kouga knows where Kagome's heart truly lies. But that doesn't mean he's giving up without a fight. A one-shot about seeing potential.


[Disclaimer: Really!  You gotta believe me!  I do not own Inu-Yasha & co. or Sarah McLachlan's "Good Enough."  And if you had sued me earlier today, you could have gotten my yummy chicken quesadilla, but, um, well, that's gone now.]

~+~

**Just Let Me Try**

~+~

"Fine!"

"Well fine then!"

"Ooooh…SIT!"

One very aggravated hanyou went crashing into the ground where the group had made camp for the night.

"Sango…" Kagome began, not even breaking from her glaring at the stubborn hanyou, "I'm going for a walk."

The taijiya, unsurprised by this decision after the typical fight they had just witnessed between Inu-Yasha and Kagome, replied, "Would you like company?"

Kagome stopped glaring at the object of her frustration to beam a smile at Sango.  "No, thanks.  I'll be fine."

Miroku cleared his throat, also unsurprised at how this typical dispute ended in such a typical fashion.  "Be careful, Kagome-sama.  The sun will be setting soon."

She had not heard him.  She was too busy muttering to herself about picky eaters as she stormed away into the forest.  

~+~

Kouga was aware of everything in his surroundings as he ran…the setting sun, the remoteness of the forest, the wind against his face.  The wind that was delivering the very familiar scent of the only person he would ever stop for.  He stopped running long enough to reorient himself; realizing he had passed the most direct path to her, he quickly backtracked.  As he came nearer, he heard her talking…but to who?  He slowed down and sniffed cautiously.  There was no one else there, which meant she was talking to herself.  He smiled at this human that he loved with her odd ways.  He was still standing there with that confident grin when she barreled right into him.

"Ow…"  Kagome rubbed her head gingerly from her knocked-down position on the forest floor.  She knew she'd been lost in her thoughts, but not so much that she would run right into something.  A hand lowered in a gesture to help her up came into view and she mentally corrected herself.  Someone, not something.

"Kouga-kun!"  Kagome smiled brightly as she recognized the person before her.  She accepted his hand and as he lifted her up she asked, "Are you all right?"

_Hey your glass is empty,_

"I should be asking you that.  You're the one who got knocked to the ground.  Are you all right?"  Kagome began laughing at the overt concern she could hear in his voice.  Kouga took this as a confirmation of healthy state but did not back away.

Kagome become aware of the wolf youkai's close presence and began to blush.  "Er…you can give me back my hand now."

Kouga, oblivious to her discomfort, let go of her hand but did not step away.  "Where are you going?" he asked.

_It's a hell of a long way home_

"Oh!" Kagome exclaimed.  Her face wrinkled in thought.  "I don't know."

"Are you lost?  I could probably get you back to your group…" Even as he made the offer, Kouga regretted it.  Every time she went back to her group, it meant going back to that jerk, Inu-Yasha.  And it meant time away from him.  He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, the unnecessary action revealing his discomfort.  He continued thinking to himself that he could not offer her much of anything with his situation like it was at the present…

Kagome was unmindful of Kouga's actions, but she was surprised by his offer.  It was inexplicably kind of him to offer to help her back to Inu-Yasha.  He never usually tried to stop her; but he certainly did not make a habit of helping.  Her mind puzzled over this quickly before moving on to answer his question.  "Oh, no, I'm not lost.  I was just…out for a walk," she finished lamely.

_Why don't you let me take you  
it's no good to go alone_

"May I escort you?" he asked.  Kagome laughed at his formality before realizing this would be the first time she would really be alone with Kouga since he had kidnapped her so many months ago.  She gave a slight nod of the head, happy to accept his company.  He really was not so bad when he wasn't fighting with Inu-Yasha.  Kouga stood still, waiting for Kagome to pick a direction.  He fell into step beside her as she began walking at a slower, less angry pace than the one she had been maintaining earlier.

"What were you so upset about?"  Kouga asked in a casual tone.  Kagome glanced at him out of the side of her eye, debating how much to say to the volatile youkai.

_I never would have opened up_

"Oh…it was nothing, really."  Kagome gave a laugh as she thought of how often this sort of thing happened.  "Inu-Yasha and I just had a little fight."

"Oh yeah?  What about?"  Kouga's voice shifted to a little less casual.

Kagome turned her face to him to see if she could discern from his expression whether or not he was really interested.  This caused  her to promptly trip over a branch and begin to fall…

_But you seemed so real to me_

…only to have warm, strong arms wrap around her.  Kouga lifted the embarrassed girl up to her feet and made her mortification complete as he kept a hand on her waist while she steadied herself.  

Kouga, not even registering that anything out of the normal had occurred, repeated, "What about?"

Kagome blinked, confused for a moment before remembering that he had been asking about the argument.  If he cared enough to ask twice, then he would get an answer.  She drew in a breath, preparing her body for the outburst she had been holding back.

"Well, we were stopping to camp for the night so, naturally, the boys start complaining of hunger.  I hand them some chips and salsa to tide them over until we could prepare dinner and then – BAM! – Inu-Yasha starts running around shouting about how his tongue is on fire and it's a conspiracy and I'm out to get him and his oh-so-sensitive tongue—"

Kouga's eyes, which had begun to glaze over in the wake of Kagome's rant, focused as he raised an eyebrow at her last comment.

"—and I start yelling back that it said _mild_ on the jar and how was I to know it would affect him like that?  I mean, I got the point about curry.  Okay, curry is definitely too spicy for him but _salsa_?  And even if he burns his tongue, he overreacts!  Just drink a glass of milk and eat some bread and be done with it!  Er…"  Kagome's expression went thoughtful as she reconsidered her advice.  "But then, milk wouldn't really keep well out here, would it?  Right…Kouga?"

His eyes, having returned to their glazed state once Kagome's rant turned full-force, snapped to attention.  The wolf youkai scratched his head and said, "Er…salsa?"

Kagome felt flustered, realizing how silly her outburst seemed.  "Oh, it's a kind of sauce…it's meant to complement food.  You serve it with tortilla chips, which are…" She racked her brain to think of a Sengoku Jidai parallel to Western chips, and failing that, simply said, "another kind of food."

_After all the bullshit I've heard_

_It's refreshing not to see_

Kouga turned his attention back to the path and began walking again.  Once his walking companion caught up, he questioned, "So you prepare him food?"

"Inu-Yasha, you mean?"  Kagome sounded surprised at the question.  She furrowed her brows as she considered an appropriate response.  "Well, tossing them a bag of chips and salsa is not what I would consider preparing food, but yes, I do sometimes cook for all of us…Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara…and Inu-Yasha."

"Why?" he persisted. 

With the perplexity obvious in his voice, Kagome could only answer honestly.  "It's what I can contribute.  We all bring certain things to the group…Sango's an amazingly skilled fighter, and Miroku has spiritual and fighting abilities.  Every once in a while my aim with an arrow is good and I can cook to boot."  She smiled brightly, pleased with her explanation.

Kouga was not as pleased.  Suppressing a growl at the thought of Kagome serving Inu-Yasha, he continued, "Why do you travel with him, anyway?"

"Well…" she hesitated, unsure of how her confession would affect Kouga.  "It's my fault the Shikon no Tama is in shards."  Seeing the questioning look on his face, she decided to carry on.  She quickly but quietly relayed the events that had occurred leading up to that fateful arrow: the crow demon snatching it, Inu-Yasha's insults about her aim, and her idea to fasten the crow foot to an arrow that would guide it back to the body that wanted to regenerate.

Kouga felt his opinion of the woman he loved rise even higher.  She had been rather clever to think of that tactic…and he said so.

She shrugged it off, pointing out "But it led to the shards scattering everywhere and all this trouble."  She held her palms out in a gesture to the area around her, her eyes gaining a distant look as she thought of all the death and destruction she had seen in the months since she first traveled through the well.  "But anyway, that happened just after the first time Inu-Yasha and I had met.  The only reason he was cooperating at all was because of the subduing spell." 

Something occurred to Kouga he had not wondered about before.  "Yeah, what is the cause of that collar?"

Kagome gave an embarrassed little laugh before admitting, "Well, the first time I met Inu-Yasha he tried to kill me for the Shikon no Tama."

"So that's the reason for the collar?"

"Yes, that's the reason for the col…er, necklace."

Kouga felt the anger boiling up inside him, and he failed miserably to restrain himself before shouting, "He _is_ a dog turd!  He tried to kill you?"

"Eh, it was no matter.  The first time I met Miroku-" Kouga's eyes narrowed at the mention of the lecherous monk, not quite knowing how to anticipate a story of his first meeting with Kagome, "-he had a raccoon youkai friend of his attack Inu-Yasha so he kidnapped me for the Shikon shards I had.  And he stole my bike."

Kouga grumbled, "Well, I approve of the attacking Inu-Yasha part."

Kagome pursed her lips slightly before allowing her lips to curl up in a wry smile.  The pair turned back ahead to continue on their walk.

How could she be so blasé about kidnapping and attempted murder?  She sounded more perturbed by the bicik – bikik – er, by her belongings being stolen.  Kouga wondered briefly if Kagome harbored any ill feelings from his successful kidnapping escapade and initial attempt to use her as a Shikon detector.  He then dismissed the notion, hearing the warmth in her voice as she reminisced.  Then he found himself wondering if she ever spoke about him and how they met in that tone.

Kouga, always being one who felt free to speak his mind, asked her, "Do you ever speak about our adventures so fondly?"

He loved to hear her laugh, that tinkling little laugh that let him know she was pleased by what she heard.  She didn't laugh like that often in this time, in this place, with all the problems they were always running into the few times they were able to meet up.  But she giggled now, her nose crinkled, her expression mischievous as she looked at Kouga.  "Occasionally.  Would you like me to speak about it more?" she teased. 

_I don't have to pretend_

_She doesn't expect it from me_

If Kouga had the decency to blush, this would have been the moment.  Instead, he just went on self-assuredly, "Every chance you get.  My woman should be thrilled with each opportunity she has to brag about her man."  This was said in an equally teasing tone, with a confident grin plastered on his face.

"Kouga…"  She saw her opportunity to broach a mistake she had long been trying to rectify.  Kagome cursed herself for not sounding stronger, more firm.  "I am not…your woman."

Kouga blinked, processing this.  "Would you ever be my woman?"

_So don't tell me I_

_Haven't been good to you,_

"Um…" bewildered, Kagome had no response ready for this.  

Kouga continued, unfazed, "I will do what I must to be worthy of you."  His confident eyes suddenly turned vulnerable, and he said in a softer voice, "Will you do me the favor…"

"Eh…" She was still wondering how he could go from teasing her to readily accepted her saying she was not his woman to this somber attitude he had now.  If she had always known she could get him to stop calling her his woman just by telling him…but now he had to complicate it by asking for a favor…  "What favor is that, Kouga-kun?"

_Don't tell me I_

_Haven't been there for you_

"Of considering me.  Someday.  When you're ready."

Kagome felt her jaw drop slightly in shock.  Of course Kouga would not give up so easily.  But…'when you're ready'?  Despite being used to his proclamations of love and loudmouthed ways, she was not ready for this more considerate version of Kouga.  Maybe this is what he is like when it is just the two of them…  

"Kouga..." Kagome, still in the frame of mind to dissuade her enthusiastic suiter, continued, "How do you know what you feel  for me is real, and not just infatuation?"

"In the beginning, all I knew about you was that you had the ability to detect the Shikon shards and that you were beautiful."  Kouga's blunt confession caused the girl to both blush and become a little exasperated.  "But – it didn't take me long to know you.  To see you for who you were.  When we were battling those harpies, I knew.  You are brave.  You are loving.  You are amazing, Kagome."

He said it all so simply.  Like it was The Truth.  And he could not understand how she did not entirely believe it.

_So don't tell me I_

_Haven't been good to you,_

Kouga saw her softening and felt his chance to plead his case.  "I would be good to you!  I would treat you the way you should be treated…"  

_Don't tell me I_

_Haven't been there for you_

Seeing that this was not affecting the bewildered girl the way he had hoped it would, he sighed.  As oblivious as he may seem, he understood where her heart lay…for now.  "Kagome…he's a jerk."

_Just tell me why_

_nothing is good enough_

"Oh…you just don't know."  She turned away, unable to face him and to see if he was saying this out of his dislike for Inu-Yasha or his affection for her.

_Hey little girl would you like some candy_

_Your momma said that it's o.k.,_

Kouga grabbed her arms and swiveled her around to face him.  "Kagome…" The pained look on his face startled her.  "You are an amazing woman.  You're strong, and you're clever, and…he hurts you."

_The door is open come on outside,_

_No, I can't come out today,_

She swallowed, still unable to look him in the eye.  She could not, and would not, deny what her heart told her was true.  Yes, she loved Inu-Yasha.  And yes, he hurt her.  __

_It's not the wind that cracked your shoulder_

_And threw you to the ground,_

Every time he insulted her, whether it was with malice or thoughtlessness in his intent.  Whether it was the simple subject of salsa burning his tongue…or the infinitely more complicated topic of Kikyo.  Every time he meets with Kikyo.  Every time he thinks about Kikyo…and Kagome sees it in the hanyou's face.  __

_Who's there that makes you so afraid_

_you're shaken to the bone,_

Yes, it hurt.  But it was the price she paid to be near him.  Why did Kouga have to point this out to her?  She worked hard to repress these problems so that she could focus on the good times while there were still good times to be had.

_You know I don't understand,_

_you__ deserve so much more than this_

"You deserve everything a man can give you, Kagome," Kouga said in an urgent tone, as though this would make her understand.

Kagome lifted her blue-grey eyed gaze to his cerulean blue one.  "He gives me everything he can."

_So don't tell me why_

_he's never been good to you,_

"That's not good enough.  If it hurts you, then it's not good enough," he continued, as though this logic was simple enough to rule the world.

_Don't tell me why_

_he's never been there for you,_

"It's unacceptable," he finished, his voice resolute. 

_And I'll tell you that why  
_A small part of Kagome felt the truth in his words.  But the rest of her knew she could not change her heart.  Her heart still accepted the joy – and the consequences – of being in love with the hanyou.  Nothing would change…for now.  No matter how much this wolf youkai with the cerulean blue eyes spoke ardently about his feelings for her and her worth…even if she could not deny the thumping of her heart that seemed to be growing louder with each passing second.

_is__ simply not good enough,_

Kouga knew that they would be separating shortly.  She would go back with her group to search for the shards, and he would continue his quest to avenge his tribe.  She did not seem able to believe that she deserved so much more…yet.  And she did not seem to believe that he truly cared for her…yet.  

But he also knew that the one thing he wanted her to know when she walked away from him this night was that he would treat her right.

_So just let me try_

"Just let me try."

_and__ I will be good to you_

"I will be good to you."

_Just let me try_

His grip on her arms, constant this entire time, was what had been keeping them so close.  He moved on hand to Kagome's waist to draw her nearer…

_and__ I will be there for you_

"I will be there for you," he finished.

_I'll show you why  
  
_

Kouga raised his other hand to the side of her face and brushed a few stray locks of hair back.  The feel of his fingertips against her skin was enough to make her shiver.  Kagome's lips parted slightly as her breath caught in her throat.  He cautiously lowered his face towards hers.  Kagome's eyes were wide with conflicting emotions, but she was not backing away…and that was enough for Kouga to proceed.  And just as his lips were about to meet hers…

"--Kagome!"  A single voice shouting in the distance.

"—Kouga!"  This time, a pair of voices from the opposite direction.

The pair jumped apart, startled into a guilty reaction with the recognition of the voices shouting their names in the distance.  Kouga mentally cursed himself for his reaction; certainly in the past he had never hesitated to stake his claim with Kagome no matter who was or wasn't present.  But clearly, Kagome did not operate like that…so for Kagome, Kouga would try to change.  A little bit at a time.  Maybe just a little bit.  True to his impetuous nature, he would finish thinking it out later.

To her credit, Kagome drew back the farthest.  Her heart still thudding in her chest, she did not know whether to curse or rejoice at Inu-Yasha's decision to come find her after their fight.  Her face flushed at the thought of what might have happened if she and Kouga had not been startled out of their reverie at that moment.

Kouga noticed the uncertain appearance Kagome had and seized the opportunity to grab each of her hands in one of his own.  He squeezed them gently and said, "You give me hope."

True to form, the youkai prince then raised his eyebrows rakishly and with a wolf like grin pressed a chaste kiss to Kagome's cheek.  He then reluctantly let go of her hands and shouted into the direction of the approaching hanyou, "Oi, dog turd!  You ought to take better care of my woman – anything could have come by and attacked her while you weren't keeping watch!"

Inu-Yasha burst in from one side of the path just as Ginta and Hakkaku emerged from the opposite.  The latter pair looked considerably exhausted from their efforts to keep up with their leader, while the former just looked irate.

Kagome, on the other hand, was still reeling from recent events, so much so she did not notice Kouga call her his woman again.  A kiss on the cheek!  It seemed so…un-Kouga-like.  Just like his acceptance of her not being his woman and his request that she…consider…him.  His anger about Inu-Yasha was the only part that fit in the scheme of things, even if it had been more passionate than usual.  With the new arrivals, the girl forced herself to focus on the present.  Ignoring the hanyou, she shot Ginta and Hakkaku a sympathetic look.  The duo quickly straightened up and approached her.

Ginta exclaimed, "Kagome-nee-san!"

Hakkaku continued, "You're looking well…"  

They might have continued with the pleasantries had the hot-tempered Inu-Yasha not finally chosen to retort to Kouga, "Looks like someone unfortunate did come by – I'll just have to take care of that now, won't I?"  He made a show of cracking his knuckles, preparing himself for whatever the wolf prince might throw at him verbally or physically.

Kagome surprised them all by grabbing Kouga's shoulder – it was usually Inu-Yasha she tried to dissuade.  "Kouga…"  She did not know quite what to say.  This one person had caused an upheaval in the way she saw her world, and she did not know how it would all look after the dust settled.  So for right now… "Try not to push them too hard, okay?"

Kouga, a leader always concerned with his tribesmen, understood her request.  "Don't worry; they're stronger than they make out to be."  With that, he made a face at the pair before ordering them to move ahead, giving them the advantage in distance for once.  He smirked at Inu-Yasha before grinning one last smile at the twitterpaited girl.  Then he turned and dashed out into the forest and back into everyday life's responsibilities.

"Keh.  That wimpy wolf…so cocky…total idiot…needs Shikon shards to run that fast…"  Inu-Yasha's grumblings barely registered in Kagome's mind.  Starved for the attention his complaints about the wolf were not receiving, he finally shouted, "Oi, Kagome!  Let's go back to camp."

Kagome came out of her daze to realize that she was holding one hand up to the cheek Kouga had so virtuously kissed.  Her hand shot down to her side as she realized what she had been doing.  Turning her concentration to the hanyou, she smiled cheerfully and confirmed, "Let's go!"

Even as her traveling companion began walking ahead of her, Kagome turned to cast one last glance back to the spot where Kouga had disappeared into the trees.  She lifted her hand to her cheek again, and as she felt her fingertips brush against her warm skin, she whispered to herself, "You would..."

Smiling to herself, she turned her thoughts back to her traveling companions as she made her way back to the encampment she had left not so long ago.

~+~

Kouga ran with the joy of movement coursing through his veins.  He had what he wanted.  She knew.

_You're so much more than good enough_

He would treat her right.

~+~

[A/N:  Now see, this song is so much sadder than Good Charlotte's "Wondering."  So how is it that the songfic I wrote for this sad song turned out so much more…fluffy…than the other one?  sigh It's a mystery.  Anyway, the whole point of this little one-shot was to see what sort of a situation it would take for Kagome to at least see _potential_ in Kouga.  Because oh baby long, low whistle has he got potential!  Er, anyway…So anyone who was disappointed (or thrilled) that they did not end up kissing…Kagome definitely wouldn't go from the way she feels about Kouga in the manga to liking him enough to genuinely kiss him in a one-shot.  And she also wouldn't be able to disregard the love she feels for Inu-Yasha that easily, either.  That's all de-e-e-efinitely chapter story material.  Which this will not be.  But I do plan on rewriting it, so feel free about offering suggestions.  This one is all about seeing the potential, people.  Which hopefully you were able to.  And if you were not able to, you should review and let me know why.  Or if you were able to and just want to be fabulous readers and review, please, feel free.]

[Shameless Plug of the Day: swoon LaraWinner [user id: 13856] reviewed one of my fics!  And she put it on her favorites list!  Gak!  It's like having a celebrity say your work is good!  Um…I think maybe I was a reader for too long on FF.net and forgot that authors are real people, too.  But anyway, that prompted me to go back and reread all her wonderful fics.  Her humorous one-shot about Miroku and Sango (entitled **Make Me Love You**) has been on _my favorite stories list since I became a member.  And then her one-shot **Suffer the Child** blew me away with her sensitive and creative story involving Inu-Yasha's history – the only fic I have ever read to touch on it tastefully.  And then there's **The Crying Game**, which she uploaded in one day so not many readers got to know about it's existence…and so many others!  Go check her page out, mmmkay? _


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